Locomotive steam dome



June 20, 1933. c. w. LESTER LOCOMOTIVE .STEAM DOME Filed Sept. 29

INVENTOR C/mr/es W Lesel' BY AT O NEY of the steam dome of the present invention cured thereto by rivets (not shown), suit- 70 Patented. .lune Ztl, 1933 UNITED TA'EES QFFCE onAELEs w. LEsrEE, or sonEivEc'rAnY, NEW YORK Loooinofrivn ernaar DOME Appiieation sied september 29, 1932. serial no.Y csasa This invention relates to locomotive steam the required strength, no strengthening walls domes. therefore being necessary; A lateral out- An object of the presentinvention is to wardly extending flange 10 surrounds the provide an improved locomotive steam dome entire dome at the jointure of the lower and f designed to receive steam from the locomoupper portions 2 and 3. The flange 10 is tive boiler to which the dome is applied, and curved so as to conform with the upper surto separate any water Amixed therewith from face of the locomotive boiler shell to which said steam, so that a substantially drier the dome is attached. At the sides and ends ,n steam may be delivered to the dry pipe than of they upper portion 3, the dome is connected Y has heretofore been possible. with the flange 10 by strengthening webs 11. 60

Other objects and advantages achieved by Referring to Fig. 1, a locomotive boiler the present invention will be apparent from shell, indicated generally by the numeral 12, the following description. is provided with a suitable orifice in its H The invention is illustrated in the accomupper portion for the reception of the steam l; panyng dmwng, wherein: Figure 1 is a dome 1. The dome 1, is applied to the shell 65 side View, diagrammatically shown, of a lo- 12, with its lower portion 2 extending into coinotive boiler with the steam oome of the the boiler through said opening, its upper present invention applied thereto; Fig, 2 portion 3 extending above the boiler shell, is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section and its flange 1() embracing the shell and seconnected with an end of a dry pipe, on the able rivet holes 13 being provided in the line II-I of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is an enlarged flange 10 for this purpose.

fragmentary plan view of the steam dome, At the forward end of the dome a dry n. a part of the upper portion thereof being pipe connection lei is formed integrally with broken away; Fig. dis an enlarged front end the walls or the dome. The connection 14 view of the dome; Fig. 5 is a section on the extends vertically from the bottom of the line VV of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a section of top of the dome, opening through the botthe auxiliary dry pipe of the steam dome on tom wall of the dome. The lower portion m the line Vl-Vl of Fig. 2; and Fig.r7 is a 15 of the connection 14 is cylindrical, con* W( section of the auxiliary dry pipe of the steam, stituting a conduit, its axis being vertical, 80

dome on the line VII-VII of Fig. 2. and the upper portion 1G is cylindrical about Referring descriptively to the drawing, a horizontal axis. The upper portion is conillustrating an approved'embodiment of the tractedL and open at both its ends, for the present invention, the steam dome, indicated reception of an auxiliary dry pipe 17. The

e generally by the numeral 1, comprises a r e forward side of the lower portion of the ceptacle, constructed, in the embodiment ilconnection merges with and comprises a lustrated, of cast steel. The dome 1 is propart of tne wall 6, and the rearward side of vided with a lower portion 2, adapted to exthe connection is joined to the front end of M tend downwardly into a locomotive boiler the longitudinal strengthening wall 8.

D and an upper portion 3 adapted to extend The auxiliary dry pipe 17 is longitudinal- 90 upwardly above the upper surface of the kly disposed in the upper portion 3 of the boiler, as hereinafter described. The lower dome and extends substantially throughout ortion 2 comprises a bottom wall Ll, side the length thereof, its forward end passwalls 5, and front and rear end walls 6 and ing through the open ends of the upper por- 4) 7 respectively. The lower portion 2 is of tion 16 of the connection 111 in sliding fit general box-shaped construction and is therewith. The forward portion of the -auxstrengthened by an inner central, longitudi iliary dry pipe 17 which is disposed within nal, vertical wall 8 and spaced, transverse, the connection 1d, is provided witlrcircumvertical walls 9. The upper portion 3 is ferentially spaced elongated openings 18,

curved in cross-section, thereby providing and small openings 19 are formed in the top 100 of the auxiliary pipe at the rear of the connection 14.

An opening 2O is provided in the forward end of the upper portion 3 of the dome, through which opening the auxiliary dry pipe 19 is inserted into the dome,in assembling the apparatus. The opening 20 is closed by a cover 21, secured to the dome by studs 22, an annular ball seat 23 being provided between the cover 21 and the adjacent wall of the dome, around the opening 20, to insure a steam-tight connection. The forward end of the auxiliary dry pipe 17 is seal-welded to the connection 14 as indicated at 24. The auxiliary dry pipe is closedat its rear end by a head 25, suitably welded thereto, as indicated at 26. The auxiliary dry pipe is supported at its rear end by a bolt 27, which is screwed through the rear end wall of the upper portion 3 of the dome and through the center of the head 25, the bolt 27 being riveted over at its outer end to provide a steamtight fit.

shown) with the distribution valves of the locomotive to which the dome is applied, is connected at its rear end by an elbow 31 with the lower end of the connection 14. A strap orother suitable means (not shown) is provided to support the elbow and dry pipe,

as in usual practice, and an annular ball seat, similar to the seat 23, is provided between the upper end of the elbow 31 and the connection 14, to provide a steam-tight fit.

In the operation of a locomotive embodying the aforedescribed steam dome of the present invention, steam is admitted into the dome through the openings 28 in the side and end walls of the lower portion 2. These openings being relatively small, any water that is mixed with the steam tends to be separated from the steam during its passage through the openings. The steam with in the dome then passes into the auxiliary dry pipe through the small openings 19 in the top thereof and any remaining water which may have passed through the openings 28 is subjected to a second separating action by the openings 19 before the passage of the steam into the auxiliary dry pipe. The water separated from the steam passes back, through the holes 29 in the bottom of the lower portion 2, to the boiler. The steam having entered the auxiliary dry pipe passes through the openings 18, then into the connection 14, and thence into the main dry pipe 30. It will be apparent that the improved steam dome provides a means for delivery of steam from the boiler to the dry pipe whereby substantially all water is separated therefrom, or in other words, by means of the improved steam dome, relatively very dry steam is delivered to the dry pipe.

While there has been hereinbefore described an approved embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that many and various changes and modifications in form, structure, and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that all and any such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claim are contemplated as a part of the present invention.

The invention claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A locomotive steam dome comprising, as a unitary casting, a peripheral flange for attachment to the margin of an opening in the top of a boiler, a box-shaped portion below said flange adapted to extend within said boiler provided with small openings through its side walls for admission of steam from said boiler and openings in its bottom wall for egress of water from said dome to said boiler, longitudinal and transverse vertical walls reinforcing the boxshaped portion, a vertical passageway open at its bottom for connection with Y a dry pipe and having an upper opening in its side wall transverse of said dome, and a dome-shaped portion above said flange adapted to extend beyond said boiler, and having an opening at one end; a closure for saidr down shaped portion opening, said upper opening being disposed in said domeshaped portion and in alignment with said dome-shaped portion opening; a removable drum disposed in said domeshaped Jortion of a size in cross section to be a mitted through said dome-shaped portion opening,

Idisposed within said dome-shaped portion longitudinally thereof, having an end portion disposed within said upper opening, engaging the wall thereof with a sliding fit and having its opposite end closed; and means for supporting said drum connected to said dome at said closed end of said drum, the opposite end portion of said drum being in communication with said vertical passageway, and said drum being provided with orifices to admit steam to Said drum from said dome.

CHARLES W. LESTER. 

